Monday, 30 June 2008
Saturday, 28 June 2008
Masseria Appide
In the countryside between Cutrofiano and Maglie this fantastic hotel is hidden among the trees. There is a wonderful pool set in the old grounds of the masseria, a proper restaurant and comfortable rooms and suites. Ivana is the beautiful manager and is great at English (she's my old student so she must be!) Have a look at their site for more info http://www.appide.it/
Thursday, 26 June 2008
Hot days
Midsummer’s day was the start of the proper summer weather. We are now sweltering under the olives and the ceiling fans constantly whir overhead of our ‘garagio 'home. It’s best to keep the house as dark as possible to stop the heat getting inside. Garagio is a lovely word local word, made up from the English, to describe these box-like barns that we live in and sell.
At this time of year we always start thinking how we really must have a swimming pool one day, after the more important things we need get done. Swimming pool companies must be so busy right now that they’d probably give you a really bad price, best to wait for November by which time we've forgotton about needing one.
It’s been a month of hard graft for me with Darren’s broken foot keeping him out of action. Thankfully the plaster is now off so we should be nearer resuming to ordinary life. It’s also been a month for technology. We’ve managed to launch the new forum http://www.alternativefamilytravel.com while also finally giving in to Facebook.
We’ve had the base of an outdoor table made from ferro zincato (I don’t know what these things are called in English) and are waiting for a massive piece of stone to be delivered for the top. I can’t wait to be able to eat every meal on it until October.
Right now it's too hot to be inside - we are going for a swim in our friends’ hotel pool.
At this time of year we always start thinking how we really must have a swimming pool one day, after the more important things we need get done. Swimming pool companies must be so busy right now that they’d probably give you a really bad price, best to wait for November by which time we've forgotton about needing one.
It’s been a month of hard graft for me with Darren’s broken foot keeping him out of action. Thankfully the plaster is now off so we should be nearer resuming to ordinary life. It’s also been a month for technology. We’ve managed to launch the new forum http://www.alternativefamilytravel.com while also finally giving in to Facebook.
We’ve had the base of an outdoor table made from ferro zincato (I don’t know what these things are called in English) and are waiting for a massive piece of stone to be delivered for the top. I can’t wait to be able to eat every meal on it until October.
Right now it's too hot to be inside - we are going for a swim in our friends’ hotel pool.
Sunday, 22 June 2008
Pasta salad
Pasta salad is one of those things (like pizza and chips) that the English like to think isn’t properly Italian. I once read Nigel Slater completely slating it. Though I agree with much of what Nigel writes about food I strongly disagree with his feelings on this humble dish (and also about barbeques).
In fact Pasta Fredda is very popular in this baking hot heel of the boot. Cristina makes several versions for her numerous summer party spreads. She does one with orecchitte pasta and cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and speck (salty cured ham).
I made a nice one today. In my pugliese china bowl I poured some olive oil, rose wine vinegar and mixed it up with salt and pepper. Into this vinaigrette I added finely sliced courgettes, carrots, yellow pepper and in the meantime cooked some leftover pasta shells and hard boiled 3 eggs (one per person).
By the time I added the pasta (still warm but rinsed in cold water) the vegetables has marinated a little. I finished it off with a can of tuna, black olives, capers, finely chopped rocket and a few cherry tomatoes.
A perfect Sunday lunch for a roasting day like today.
In fact Pasta Fredda is very popular in this baking hot heel of the boot. Cristina makes several versions for her numerous summer party spreads. She does one with orecchitte pasta and cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and speck (salty cured ham).
I made a nice one today. In my pugliese china bowl I poured some olive oil, rose wine vinegar and mixed it up with salt and pepper. Into this vinaigrette I added finely sliced courgettes, carrots, yellow pepper and in the meantime cooked some leftover pasta shells and hard boiled 3 eggs (one per person).
By the time I added the pasta (still warm but rinsed in cold water) the vegetables has marinated a little. I finished it off with a can of tuna, black olives, capers, finely chopped rocket and a few cherry tomatoes.
A perfect Sunday lunch for a roasting day like today.
Saturday, 21 June 2008
La Maruzella birthday lunch
La Maruzella is in Lido Conchiglie, Ionian coast, on the sea front on the edge of town, going towards Santa Maria al Bagno. There's another place next door but I could never eat there, I would feel like a traitor! Open 365 days a year. 00 39 0833 208 900
Friday, 13 June 2008
Wednesday, 4 June 2008
Casalinga
This morning I feel like a proper casalinga Salentina (housewife). I was up at 6am and mopped the floor while baby slept and hubby is in hospital. Husbands always seem to be in hospital round here. Maybe that’s just because most of the people we know are OAPs.
Our neighbour, Gino, was in hospital last week but he’s here right now working in the field opposite our front door. His wife, Lucia, is also here working with him, despite the fact that it’s raining.
I guess they’ve got lots of catching up to do since his time out at Galatina hospital, it’s a busy and important time of year in the Mediterranean vegetable garden. Lucia is a card with an extremely load voice and cheerful disposition.
Mickey and I went to visit Darren in the hospital last night. He was in a lot of pain but we were both reasonably impressed with his care and surroundings. Hardly state-of-the-art but there is a friendly and peaceful atmosphere and lots of space.
We’ll go back this morning, as soon as the little boy is up and awake. It’s a shame I haven’t prepared a medicinal vegetable and bone broth to take to Darren and really fulfill my southern Italian wifey role.
Our neighbour, Gino, was in hospital last week but he’s here right now working in the field opposite our front door. His wife, Lucia, is also here working with him, despite the fact that it’s raining.
I guess they’ve got lots of catching up to do since his time out at Galatina hospital, it’s a busy and important time of year in the Mediterranean vegetable garden. Lucia is a card with an extremely load voice and cheerful disposition.
Mickey and I went to visit Darren in the hospital last night. He was in a lot of pain but we were both reasonably impressed with his care and surroundings. Hardly state-of-the-art but there is a friendly and peaceful atmosphere and lots of space.
We’ll go back this morning, as soon as the little boy is up and awake. It’s a shame I haven’t prepared a medicinal vegetable and bone broth to take to Darren and really fulfill my southern Italian wifey role.
Sunday, 1 June 2008
Baby Animals
01/06/08
The cats were going mad yesterday. Our house cat, Monkey, was meowing his head off all day and the wild, female cats were joining in, scrounging for scraps, running into the house and generally making a fuss. The reason became clear later in the evening when Darren’s dad, David, spotted 3 new kittens playing outside.
They look about 4-6 weeks old, the sort of age that you take them when you get a kitten in England, so the mamma cat must have kept them hidden from us all this time. There are two completely black ones and one tabby.
When I got up this morning at 6 am one of the cheeky black ones was actually in the house, playing with Mickey’s toys! Now we are sleeping with the door open for the heat, I imagine our house is quite a nocturnal cat playground. A bit like one of those children’s stories were all the toys come alive at night.
Wild animals are always a good omen for me, especially baby ones. Whose spirit isn’t lifted at the sight of fluffy, tiny creatures? And this morning we found out that another baby is making its way into the world today as one of our friends has gone into labour.
The house is quiet right now as Darren, Mickey and David are all have an after lunch nap. There is also no sign of any of the cats, I imagine the kittens snuggled up to their mamma in some secret, shady spot, sleeping and feeding just like Mickey did when he was first born. Let’s hope our friend’s baby is already born and doing the same thing!
The cats were going mad yesterday. Our house cat, Monkey, was meowing his head off all day and the wild, female cats were joining in, scrounging for scraps, running into the house and generally making a fuss. The reason became clear later in the evening when Darren’s dad, David, spotted 3 new kittens playing outside.
They look about 4-6 weeks old, the sort of age that you take them when you get a kitten in England, so the mamma cat must have kept them hidden from us all this time. There are two completely black ones and one tabby.
When I got up this morning at 6 am one of the cheeky black ones was actually in the house, playing with Mickey’s toys! Now we are sleeping with the door open for the heat, I imagine our house is quite a nocturnal cat playground. A bit like one of those children’s stories were all the toys come alive at night.
Wild animals are always a good omen for me, especially baby ones. Whose spirit isn’t lifted at the sight of fluffy, tiny creatures? And this morning we found out that another baby is making its way into the world today as one of our friends has gone into labour.
The house is quiet right now as Darren, Mickey and David are all have an after lunch nap. There is also no sign of any of the cats, I imagine the kittens snuggled up to their mamma in some secret, shady spot, sleeping and feeding just like Mickey did when he was first born. Let’s hope our friend’s baby is already born and doing the same thing!
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